How It All Started... 4,000,000 Steps & $40,000 Raised

Walk With DeCo: Turning Steps Into Lifesaving Research

In its first year, Walk With DeCo was fueled by a bold goal: Mike set out to walk 4,000,000 steps and raise $40,000 by the end of 2021—and he achieved both. This wasn’t just about one challenge; it was the start of a long-term mission to fund critical medical research aimed at improving the quality of life and life expectancy for both children and adults with VEDS (Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). Currently, there is very little research on this life-threatening condition.

Annual Events That Keep the Mission Moving

Each year, Walk With DeCo rallies the community with:

• Spring Creek Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning
• Cookies 4 VEDS children’s bake sale
• Pickleball 4 VEDS Tournament

Together, these events support our goal to raise $1 million nationally over the next five years to fund groundbreaking medical research at Texas Children’s Hospital, led by renowned pediatric cardiologist Dr. Shaine Morris.

Impact So Far

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, over $100,000 has already been raised to accelerate life-saving research.

Donate Here

Where Your Donations Go

Dr. Shaine Morris, MD, MPH, is leading an innovative project to create CLARITY (Collaborative for Longitudinal Aortic Research In The Young)—the first database of its kind for the medical community and families living with VEDS and other rare genetic congenital heart disorders. This central repository will allow doctors and researchers to collaborate more effectively, deepen understanding of these rare diseases, and deliver better patient care.

Our $1 million fundraising goal over the next five years will support:

• A predictive model to better anticipate vascular events in the VEDS community
• An exercise study to establish safe activity levels that prevent premature death and improve quality of life for people with VEDS